1. Field of the invention
This invention relates, generally, to devices and methods that help people stop snoring during sleep. More specifically, it relates to a device and method that applies a material to the soft pallet at the back of the mouth to inhibit vibration of the soft pallet as air flows past it.
2. Description of the prior art
It is known that certain surgical techniques can eliminate the cause of snoring in some people. However, surgery is a rather drastic, expensive remedy that is not without risk.
A well-known anti-snoring treatment available over-the-counter is an oil solution that is sprayed onto the back of the mouth. The oil mixture includes olive oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, peppermint oil, and the like. Oil soluble vitamins such as Vitamin E may also be provided in the solution. The oil apparently lubricates the soft pallet at the back of the mouth and perhaps the tongue as well and such lubrication solves the problem for some people. However, some people report unsatisfactory results with such oils.
Some people snore because they are overweight. In an effort to lose weight, they lower their intake of high fat foods. Accordingly, the addition of approximately one-teaspoon a day of high fat oil is undesirable.
Mechanical devices that suppress the tongue are also commercially available. These devices are about the size of a mouthpiece of the type worn by athletes engaged in contact sports. Many people find it difficult to sleep at night with such a device in their mouth. However, most of those who persist until they get used to the device are satisfied with the results.
What is needed, then, is a non-surgical alternative to oil-based and mouthpiece-reliant remedies. The alternative remedy that is needed should not require the user to ingest high fat oils or to get used to sleeping with a bulky mechanical structure in the mouth. Moreover, it should be effective, inexpensive and easy to use.
However, in view of the prior art taken as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in this art how the needed device could be provided.
The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a non-surgical alternative to snoring that does not rely upon oils and mouthpieces is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious applicator having an elongate handle and a distal free end. A flexible material having sufficient rigidity to inhibit vibration of a soft pallet when air flows past said soft pallet is disposed in overlying relation to the distal free end of the applicator and a thin layer of a non-toxic adhesive is disposed in overlying relation to the flexible material. The material is pressed against the soft pallet and the adhesive cures quickly so that the material is transferred from the distal free end of the applicator to the soft pallet when the applicator is withdrawn. The material adds sufficient rigidity to the soft pallet to inhibit vibration of the soft pallet when air flows past it during sleep.
An important object of this invention is to significantly advance the art of anti-snoring devices and methods by providing an applicator that adheres a snore-inhibiting appliance to the soft pallet at the back of a mouth.
A more specific object is to provide a method where snoring is inhibited by a piece of paper or similar flexible material that is adhered to the soft pallet.
Another important object is to provide a method that inhibits vibration of the soft pallet in the absence of paper or similar material.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the description set forth hereinafter, and the scope of the invention will be set forth in the claims.